Book excerpt: This dictionary is aimed primarily at the beginners entering the new discipline of Pharmaceutical Medicine, an area comprising aspects of toxicology, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, epidemiology, statistics, drug regulatory and legal affairs, medicine and marketing. But also more experienced colleagues in departments engaged in clinical development as well as researchers and marketing experts in the pharmaceutical industry will find concise and up-to-date information. The book is completed by a list of a about 1000 abbreviations encountered in pharmaceutical medicine and a compilation of important addresses of national and international health authorities.